Somewhere Out There
by amber2
Summary: AU Two lonely people manage to become friends accross the anonimity of the internet. Will this unlikely pairing last?
1.

Standard warning Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental. If Duo and Relena pairing bothers you then you may want to skip this. If you dislike Relena you will want to please for everyone's sake find an alternative story.Is this improbable of course but then like huge mobile suit battles aren't.  
  
Somewhere Out There  
By Amber  
  
  
  
Thunder sounded like a MS battle across the sky as the heavens opened and the rain poured from above she didn't know how long she stood there mesmerized by natures display but the lightening was coming more frequently now and with it her anxiousness.. her excitement increased keeping pace with the storm.   
  
Relena leaned closer it was almost to much to bear a part of her yearned to be out there within she envied the ease with which nature released her fury or sorrow even happiness upon earth's children. She leaned her head against the cool glass shutting out what she yearned for with such intensity that she feared one day suddenly breaking. Her greatest fear that she would snap and stand during the 101 endless meetings she had to attend and scream what she really thought about their pettiness and inhumanity to their fellow man.   
  
Her eyes snapped open as thunder shook the house and lightening slammed into the ground right before her eyes.Nature it seemed shared her mood this night. She stepped back. Then took another, and then another until she felt the reassuring presence of her desk against her back as she leaned against it. Relena sighed it sounded loud within the confines of the room in light of what was happening outside. Or maybe it was because with just herself it reemphasized her loneliness that much more. Her eyes slid hesitantly toward her computer terminal. She needed sleep.   
  
Her days began early and stretched endlessly into her nights and most of the time she was more familiar with the unyielding surface of her desk than she was the silken smoothness her sheets. Relena closed her eyes against the silent temptation of the computer what she did was dangerous in its addiction. Reckless in it's misinterpretation should what she was doing get out. Her eyes snapped open. As necessary as breathing. Her anonymous rebellion kept her going when the isolation and limitations placed on her seemed determined to sap her spirit and willingness to go on.   
  
She moved slowly equal parts reluctant and excited almost giddy now that she had resolved the internal debate on whether or not to give in once more. Relena sat turning on the computer she wasn't worried about being traced having a brother that took paranoid to an all-new level guaranteed that. Once he realized she would need a terminal at the house he made sure her privacy was insured and if that wasn't enough Heero went over and over the arrangements making sure she was just another anonymous untraceable anomaly in the vastness of the internets. Of course when they did it she doubted seriously they intended her to use it for this.  
  
The light of the computer created an eerie glow as it booted up and went through the familiar hum already hungry talons of loneliness were pulling back easing in intensity. Scooting closer she logged in.   
  
  
  
He had been lying there for about thirty minutes now he really should get up and shower. Stretching til he felt it to the balls of his feet he gave a bone cracking yawn before he interlocked fingers and placed his hands behind his head the shifting lights dancing across the ceiling from the traffic outsides distracted his body from the tiny little aches and pains and thousand and one annoyances he dealt with through out the day plus it occupied his mind and helped him hide from the truth just a little bit longer.  
  
He was bored here he had been hiding from it for a while now trying to force himself back into a niche he had dreamed of and craved all those years while he was fighting. The truth. The truth was what once kept him sane gave him happiness no longer he wasn't a 15 year old satisfied with this as his life and the reality of that truth saddened him.   
  
The subtle ding distracted him from his thoughts and the dulcet tones of his laptop drug him upward out of his depression. Phantome is online:   
  
He had tried this out as a gag following his friend into a chat program to see what she was doing so he could have plenty of material to tease her about later and just as he expected it was mostly cyberjunkies and deadheads trying to get themselves some cyber sex. Well except one. Phantome seemed to be one of those lurker types sitting back watching and listening kind of like himself. So basically the two of them, god he felt so old when did that happen?   
  
If pressed he couldn't have told you what got into him that night he ended up talking to one of the dozen of anonymous users. He IM'd them privately. Something about the way he/she/it talked told him Phantome was a girl. He felt a surge of excitement and adrenaline the likes he had only felt before each and every time he and Deathscythe had suited up and soared into battle. He smirked and wondered why he compared this to a battle. Finding Phantome was probably going to be one huge disappointment instead of a tall leggy blonde or brunette with eyes like two deep bottomless wells she'd be some eighty year old babe with varicose veins and blue hair.  
  
He stood moving to his desk and scooted closer he grinned he couldn't believe he was getting this excited about a chat with a faceless voice in the night. Hell not even a voice. He highlighted the name and IM'd them.  
  
"Hey Phantome you came back... hows it going?"  
  
"Phoenix.. I'm better now.. It was a long day and I'm tired."  
  
*bg* then why are U still awake?"  
  
"I can't sleep."   
  
"Yeah I've been there. So tired your body is screaming for sleep but someone forgot to tell your mind."  
  
"What do you do then to make yourself sleep?"  
  
"Ahh I don't think my method would work for U..."  
  
"? how do you know ?"  
  
"U drink?"   
  
"Well not really Champagne every now and then mostly special occasions."  
  
"O hoo hooh .."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Too rich for my blood."   
  
"What do you do?"  
  
....  
  
"Phoenix you there?"  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"I'm sorry that was rude."  
  
"No its cool you just surprised me. I thought U wanted it to stay impersonal. What do U do? Hell are U even legal?"  
  
Relena laughed out loud at the irony when your Relena Darlian age doesn't seem to be a hindrance. She glanced guiltily around the room her eyes lifted to the swaying trees beyond the window before returning to her monitor. As usual no one but her and the silence for company her secret was safe.  
  
"Legal? O am I of age? Yes I'm legally considered an adult. I.. guess you could say I'm many things to many people but bluntly speaking I baby sit." She smirked remembering the old hardliners she had handheld today for four solid hours.  
  
  
"Hey that's a good thing not enough people out there looking after the rug rats as it is."   
  
She felt horrible she should just tell Phoenix who she was. But then it would begin he or she would start treating her different and for awhile longer she wanted to enjoy being another nameless faceless being.   
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Hmm not as exciting as your job I bet. I was a pilot."  
  
"Were you in the wars?"  
  
"I saw some action..." Duo snorted now that's an understatement.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why? It's not your fault all of us suffered one way or another."   
  
"I know still it hurts all those families who lost loved ones, all those soldiers their lives irrevocably changed by the horrors of war. It makes me sad."  
  
*Sigh* "U remind me of a friend of mine. She's always bleeding for every soul she meets, always trying to save the world."  
  
"She?" Relena smiled sadly not the world just one soul the one that meant the most but I can't he has to save himself.   
  
"Yeah she's a big softie."  
  
"Your girlfriend?"  
  
*bg* "naw but she is special, one of a kind really. Hey! How did you know I was a male?"  
  
"LOL I didn't it was a lucky guess."  
  
*g* "you got me now that we're old friends and you know I'm not a psycho you can tell me are you a girl?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Truth?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Yeah I don't know why but it does."  
  
"Relax I am female."  
  
"Ha I knew it."   
  
"Umm hmm you knew it alright that's why you asked eh?"  
  
"Now just tell me you're a tall leggy blonde or a brunette and I'm in love."  
  
.....  
  
"Hey Phantome! U there? Hey I was just kiddin ya."  
  
"Sorry you're doomed for disappointment I'm afraid. I'm a shrimp."  
  
He grinned good he hadn't scared her off this was turning out to be more fun than he thought.  
  
"Yeah? Damn.. o well tell me are you're a blonde or a brunette?"  
  
"I have to go Phoenix.."  
  
He frowned disappointed.  
  
"U sure?"   
  
"I'm afraid so..whats that old saying. I have miles to go before I sleep. Actually the storms gotten worse the generator kicked in but they'll be looking for me."  
  
"Storm hmm? Your on Earth.. Ok well I'm a little closer than I was before this was alright we'll have to do this again. I don't suppose you would tell me your name."  
  
.....  
  
"I didn't think so.."  
  
"Will you be online tomorrow?"  
  
"I'll try.. goodnight"  
  
"Phantome!"  
  
?  
  
"I mean it....This was nice I hope we can talk again."  
  
"Sweet Dreams Phoenix"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
this is off the cuff spelling errors and punctuation errors too probably so my apologies.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Standard warning Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental. If Duo and Relena pairing bother you them you may want to skip this. If you dislike Relena you will want to please for everyone's sake find an alternative story.  
  
  
Somewhere Out There  
By Amber  
  
  
Hilde stood there watching him lord knows how long she had stood there. What in the world was he doing? This made the third night in a row. She shrugged well his door wasn't closed so he's fair game. She pushed it the rest of the way open and cleared her throat. She smirked what ever he was doing must be good he was oblivious.   
  
"Duo!" She sighed exasperatedly. She walked over to his desk and knocked.. "Hellooo anyone in there?"   
  
"Hmm?" He answered distractedly. She peered at the monitor curiously then her eyes widened in disbelief. Hilde held her hand up in front of the monitor and waved. Duo snapped his head toward her.   
  
"Hey! What gives? What are you doing?"   
  
"You're not even ready to go."  
  
He shrugged casually. "I got distracted."   
  
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Since when have you become so interested in Internet  
chats?"   
  
She glanced at the screen then him reproachfully. "Your hacking it that information is suppose to be confidential!" He looked up at her and frowned.   
  
"Correction trying to hack it someone has covered his or her tracks good." She stood their eyeing him sternly.   
  
"What?" He blew his bangs up frustrated. "I was curious you're always in them I thought I'd check it out. So I met this user we started chatting we've caught each other on line a couple of times now and... well I we really hit it off. And I mean if she.."   
  
"She?" Hilde quirked an eyebrow skeptically  
  
"She." He said firmly.   
  
"Duo," she shook head.   
  
"Hey I don't want to hear it."   
  
"You need to. I know you can take care of yourself physically but emotionally we're all vulnerable. These chats.. People come on and can be anyone there, choose anything they want to be and it turns out to be all lies. For the most part it's harmless if your not too involved." Her voice trailed off and she studied him critically to see if anything she was saying was getting through.   
  
"It wasn't. O god Duo no." She grimaced too late.   
  
He grinned, "relax she's not stalking me in fact." He frowned. "She's not been online for the last couple of nights I'm starting to get worried."   
  
She groaned walking over to his bed she threw herself on top of it. "So maybe she has a life." He turned and glared. She held up her hand placating.   
  
"Sorry, sorry. What's her name?"   
  
"Don't know she uses Phantome."   
  
Hilde rolled her eyes. "Can't say your friend doesn't have a flair for the dramatics your right your perfect for one another." She hopped up and stretched. "So are you going tonight or not?"  
  
"Wont I cramp your style?" He asked dryly.   
  
She grinned mischievously. "Nope he adores me. Besides we're friends right? Lately I miss my friend it's almost like you don't want to be here. Duo swiveled back around facing the monitor once more." She sighed. "Duo talk to me please. Aren't you happy here anymore?" His shoulders stiffened then slumped.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She walked over to him and rested her forearms on his shoulder. "Maybe you just need time it's only been a year since the Mariemaia incident."  
  
"Maybe," he murmured. But she could hear the skepticism in his voice and a part of her was already starting to grieve she was going loose a great roommate and her best friend.   
  
He raised his hand and ruffled her hair. "Enough I'm not making any headway here let's go see this paragon of yours."   
  
Hilde smiled already her naturally sunny nature reasserting itself. "This one is it I just got a feeling."   
  
"Umm hmm where have I heard this before?"   
  
"Cynic. Well be sure you change or we wont be getting into anywhere with you dressed like that." She quipped.  
  
  
Duo stumbled in from the club slightly before dawn staying longer than he had wanted. Hilde seemed to have some sixth sense each time he got ready to leave she finagled him into staying longer where pleadings ceased to work out right emotional blackmail took over. The guy clinging to her side seemed ok a little weird but then what did he know about normal. He could always blast him out of the docking bay later if he hurt Hilde.  
  
So here he was slightly buzzed his skin itching from the smoke so bad he'd kill for a shower. But as tired as he was there was no way in hell he could do it and his hair dry before he crashed. He shrugged out of his shirt and frowned blearily there was no help for it he was whipped no way was he in any condition to handle his hair tonight he'd have sleep as he was and do his laundry tomorrow.   
  
"Shit." He mumbled. "I hate smelling like stale cigarettes."   
  
He collapsed on the bed and fumbled with his boots first one, then the other hit the floor with a satisfying thud, stretching out he was about to collapse backwards when he caught his monitor from the corner of his eye. The silent flashing signaled an in incoming message when he clicked to respond the user offline response popped up.  
  
  
  
"Phoenix you there?"  
  
"Phoenix?"  
  
It's late I couldn't sleep. I was hoping you could help me while away an hour for myself its been a painful week in one way or another. Tell me your there please.  
  
You must be chatting with someone else. I'll say goodnight maybe time permitting I can steal away again.  
  
  
  
"Ahh hell perfect ending to a perfect night." He shut down the computer and staggered to the bed flopping backwards he covered his face the last thing he remembered was a small woman whose face remained just beyond his sight with hair that changed from brunette to blonde.  
  
  
The door slammed open with a thud as it bounced back against the wall. Duo wake up!   
  
"Shit.' He jumped rolling off the bed and landed face first on the floor. "Ah Hilde what hell are you trying to do." He squinted blinking several times waiting for the outline of his furniture to stop blurring and come into focus and his heart rate to settle down.  
  
"Duo I was watching the news channel someone tried to shoot the Foreign Minister." Duo rolled over shoving off the blankets eyes narrowed and sharpened. "What?"  
  
"I said. Someone tried to..   
  
"Ok, Ok I get that part. She ok?" He stood running his fingers roughly through his bangs.   
  
"I guess. She did a press conference afterwards but she didn't look so hot. I don't know I cant really tell on the vids I just thought you might want to check on your friend after all he's the one that stopped the shooter."   
  
"O yeah right." He forced a grin. That's Heero for ya still indestructible. I'm sure Lena's alright Heero will take care of her."   
  
OK she shrugged just thought you would want to know. She walked to the door and pulled the door closed. Then stuck her head back in don't go back to sleep she warned we have that shipment coming in so if your going to eat you better hurry."  
  
He stood there long after the door closed thoughtful his brow furrowed with indecision. He exhaled exasperated then moved to the phone. Starting at the office he went through two assistants and a secretary before he was put through. When her tired but composed face came into view the muscles in his gut relaxed. Odd he never noticed how tense he had gotten.   
  
Hey Lena. Thought I warned you about crazies and guns. Her lips curved ruefully before softening in an affectionate smile.   
  
Duo how are you and Miss Hilde. His eyes searched hers then what he could see of her on screen.   
  
"Good. Hilde's dating a new guy swears this one is the "one". How are you Lena?" She shifted wincing a little but enough for him to spot. "Relena..."   
  
"Its ok Duo it could have been worse would have been worse." She amended. "If Heero hadn't been there. I'll be sore for a little while she grimaced but that's much better than the alternative."  
  
He grinned, "that's my girl.. whatcha been up to Princess?"  
  
"OO there are the meetings, travel, more meetings with brief intervals to try and sleep and eat. She shrugged.  
  
"Hey someone has to run this world." he teased. She laughed   
  
"How's Heero?" She smiled wistfully. "Well you know Heero is .. Heero."  
  
"Hey gorgeous forget him and run off with me. What's not to love I'm tall, good looking and know how to make complete sentences." She laughed his smile grew wider and if his stomach did little butterfly dances then he brushed it off as relief she was once more safe from harm.   
  
"Ahh Duo promise me the Bahamas and gorgeous sunsets and I 'm yours."  
  
He smiled. "I've missed you.. you guys."   
  
"O Duo," she whispered, "Your so good for me its not the same without you." He saw her glance up at something behind the console and nod he watched feeling oddly sad as she donned a polite expression. When she turned back to him there was weary resignation in her expression.   
  
"I have to go. Thank you for calling its good to hear from you." God it had been a year since Mariemaia. When had Relena found a moment for herself she looked so tired so dispirited who was taking car of her while she took care of the world?   
  
"Relena! Take some time off rest I cant believe the doctors gave the ok for you to be pushing it so soon."  
  
"No but I cant give them any sign of weakness Duo. Don't worry I'll be fine."  
  
"Lena..." He geared up to be his most persuasive when she apologetically cut him off.   
  
"I'm sorry Duo I'm running late say hello to Hilde for me." She leaned forward to disconnect then hesitated. "Don't be such a stranger next time. Take care Duo."  
  
  
He sat there staring distantly at the darkened screen long after she was gone. He had always had a soft spot for her a little too soft considering Heero's place in her affections the pull to go to earth was a strong one. Still he couldn't do anything more for her than Heero could. He pushed himself up and stretched pushing it into the back of his mind until later.  
  
"Take care Princess this world would be a darker place without you.."   



End file.
